http://aiminst.com/advtrack2017In litigated cases, the delivery of mediation in southern California has become increasingly litigator-driven, with disappearing joint sessions, more aggressive negotiation styles between counsel, and more combative communication between mediator and counsel. One potential risk of this trend is that mediation becomes nothing more than a settlement conference, yielding results that amount to nothing more than compromise. The likely outcome of that is a commoditized workplace, where litigators hire the lowest priced mediator, because they don’t see enough of a difference or reason why they should pay top dollar for a service that appears so effortless, and yields results that aren’t much better than counsel could have achieved absent a neutral. One solution to this trend is to empower mediators with the tools to connect more deeply with the people in front of them, to speak to a different part of them, and to remain in a state of curiosity and inquiry with a goal of understanding, as opposed to a goal of advocacy. Asking the right questions to get at information that the attorneys and parties in front of us haven’t considered, and helping them to see things in new ways all helps them to experience a shift, and find a new awareness, giving them an experience that is all-together different than negotiating to a predictable compromise.It is with all of these challenges in mind that we at the American Institute of Mediation (AIM Institute) built this year’s AIM Institute Advanced Track. http://aiminst.com/advtrack2017Morning Plenary - with Wiliam UrySession One - with William Ury and Ken ClokeSession Two - with Steve RottmanSession Three - with Kim Deck and Lee Jay BermanClosing Plenary - with Mary CuthbertVisit http://aiminst.com/advtrack2017 for details and enrollment!See More

ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!Visit http://aiminst.com/40c for detailsJoin us November 13-17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California at the American Institute of Mediation for the Mediating Commercial and Litigated Cases seminar, conducted by Lee Jay Berman. Who Should Attend: Attorneys, judges and business executives seeking mediation training: - Custom tailored for those mediating commercial and litigated cases;- Built upon a platform of strong negotiation skills training;- That meets the 40-hour requirement of most court and private mediation panels;- That has individualized training attention with small class sizes; and- Is for practicing mediators who want to refresh their skills with more negotiation emphasis, or who have focused primarily on community or facilitative mediation and are seeking to shift their practice to commercial and litigated cases. This program is a practical training course. While covering theory to give you a framework and the intellectual understanding of negotiation and mediation, this course is about learning. Our focus is on your doing, practicing and experimenting with negotiating and mediating. There is much to teach about mediation and negotiation, but one reason mediators fail is because they understand the theory, but cannot execute it when under the gun. In this course, you will mediate and negotiate your way into understanding. See More

This program is a practical training course. While covering theory to give you a framework and the intellectual understanding of negotiation and mediation, this course is about learning. Our focus is on your doing, practicing and experimenting with negotiating and mediating. There is much to teach about mediation and negotiation, but one reason mediators fail is because they understand the theory, but cannot execute it when under the gun. In this course, you will mediate and negotiate your way into understanding.In this course you will learn how to be a complete mediator. Some training programs specialize in teaching a particular method, theory or approach. This course will give you hands-on experience with all of the different styles and approaches that complete mediators call upon. Advocates and party representatives will learn how well-equipped mediators think and how to be most effective in negotiating their own cases.You will also learn how to negotiate better settlements. Because negotiation is the core component of the mediation process, this course emphasizes negotiation skills, strategies and techniques that you and those around you use to impact others’ ability to see and understand.Negotiation is a continuum from very competitive to very collaborative. To be a complete negotiator, you must become familiar and practiced with all approaches to negotiation. To be a complete mediator, you must be able to recognize these styles in your participants, be fluent in responding to each technique and tactic, and eventually become masterful at orchestrating a negotiation in order to bring about agreement.Beyond negotiation, this course will emphasize the communication skills that are critical in mediating and settling cases, especially listening to the message beyond the monetary offer to detect strategy, emotions, and hidden messages. You will also learn how to get people to the table, how to create an environment of agreement once they get there, and how to close the deal and bring about a lasting settlement agreement.Lastly, we will review recent case law and ethical standards in the field concerning confidentiality, disclosure and ethical challenges, as well as how to deal effectively with the interests of outside counsel, insurance representatives, corporate counsel, and parties, including those who are in pro per.Upon completion, graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion from the American Institute of Mediation. This course meets the educational requirements of most court mediation programs and most panels requiring a 40-hour mediation training. More importantly, it will prepare you to be a successful mediator – helping the parties settle cases that they never thought could. See More

We volunteer and we gripe. We go to “networking” events, and don’t feel comfortable there or don’t know what to do. Many of those trying to establish a career in mediation come from prior careers in law, mental health or education. These three careers are among the weakest at marketing and self-promotion. Our industry suffers unnecessarily because so many are highly skilled at mediating, and yet lack the skills that enable them to secure the opportunity to actually mediate. In this course, learn how to grow your mediation business starting tomorrow. After one day, you'll have your own specific formula for success so you can grow your mediation practice now! Isn't your mediation career worth a day of your time?At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be adept at implementing strategies to initiate or further develop their mediation practices, including but not limited to:Understanding how their unique skills and experience translate into a distinct market niche;Understanding the core essentials of marketing, advertising, branding and image building;Identifying and capitalizing on the single value added deliverable to which their potential clients will respond;Constructing an individualized marketing plan;Understanding the importance of preparing a long-term marketing plan and of consistency in implementation;Locating and tracking sources of paying clients and capitalizing on those sources.Who should attend: This workshop is designed for mediators who are not satisfied with the revenues generated by their existing mediation practice as well as new mediators just starting to work in the field.See More

]]>Mon, 07 Nov 2016 15:43:22 +0000000000000035c6bb0000000010f5c688ee4df934cd0f8328American Institute of Mediation is now a member of LA Mediatorshttp://lamediators.ning.com/profile/AmericanInstituteofMediation558?xg_source=activity
American Institute of Mediation is now a member of LA Mediators]]>Tue, 04 Nov 2014 03:53:47 +0000